Pommel horse revisited: How do I construct a pommel horse?

Assuming I have the the means to obtain the required materials

Pommel horse revisited: Assuming that hardware can be obtained, i.e, the core, be circular tubing, solid steel or wood core, hallow construction( example, think of a construction a post using 4 2' x 4', ergo a hallow post), pommel handles, the polyethylene foam, the vinyl or leather covering, the leg supports, be they wood, square or circular tubing, and the necessary tools ( wood/welding) how is a pommel horse made to closely match a regulation pommel horse http://visual.merriam-webster.com/sports-games/gymnastics/gymnastics/pommel-horse.php(not a trainer)? Answers should include the following: Feel free to add to this list as I am sure it isn't complete in your answer.

Construction materials and hardware used to construct the pommel horse, aside from the aforementioned basics. i.e, use of a solid core like 4 8'x8' posts, a circular tube, or variations to achieve the desired dimensions/

If the design includes the bread loaf taper, how was this achieved?

How the pommels were attached and the hardware used. If the pommels are fabricated how was this done, but lets assume they will be purchased.

Variations of supporting base structure is acceptable. Answers need to include how supporting base is attached to the horse and what hardware or means of attachment are used. A. If leg supports are adjustable, by way of circular tubing or square tubing with holes that can be locked into place, are they prefabricated? a1. How were the adjustable height leg supports constructed. For example, Think of sliding a smaller pipe into lager one, or square tubing for that matter. a2. How were the legs secured in this configuration to compensate for possible lack of rigidity/support? Clamped

B. If legs or wood and adjustable, how is this achieved and by what means, for instance, drilled holes and wooden dowels or longboats, etc...

Thanks to all those who dive into this. I've searched patents, several hundred search engines and archives and found all but nothing.

Several Ways to make them, depending on what you have access too. You can use steel or wood. For a steel one, just think about. Look at the pommel horses you ahve access too. Cut a 18 gauge peice of steel to the flattened sheell shape, bend it, put reinforccements inside and then weld it together. Go for a constant competition height, you should train at that anyways.

For wood you can make it 4 ways:Solid Core has two ways:Cut sheets of plywood in decreasing rectangles, put them ontop of eachother and glue them together.

or

take a log and ct it to shape with a chainsaw or prefferably a large bandsaw with a table you can angle.

hollow:cut stips of wood and layer them ontop of eachother, with 3 solid top layers to provide support. Glue it together.

or

3 top layers of 3/4" plywood for a strong attachment point for the legs and for the pommels.

Then cut a few parralelograms for the sides and attach them with braces inside.

Weld together some steel tubing as a base, put a peice of 1/4" plate on each end and use that too attach it to the op.

Cover the tope with carpet floor padding, 2 1/2" layers on the side and 1 layer on the top. Cover in some vinyl.

Drill 3/4" holes for the pommel handles.

Cut handles out of foam.

Lost foam cast them.

I'm oing to start working on the last design.

I have on and off thought of making one for the past few years and am making one now since I quit gymnastics.

I don't think there is much to worry about. It looks like a simple job technically. The main targets to achieve is a solid sturdy frame. make sure all your joints are very strong and reinforced as they will be under considerable force. Give it a nice wide base you can see in your pictures that the legs or base are wide compared to the horse to make it stable. The other thing to achieve is a nicely shaped top which is well padded. This is probably your biggest challenge as the padding will probably be very difficult to attach securely and to get a good even finish. I would say the best way to get a good shape of padding is to make the solid core of the horse the same shape and pad onto it. I would say don't go for an adjustable design as it will complicate things work out what height you need it to use for yourself. But leave room in the design so it could be made adjustable in the future if you decided to. I also agree with the other guy try looking for a second hand one. You might be suprised how many of these things are out there that nobody wants.